Enchanting Item with Bonus to Intelligence (For Spellcasting Purposes)

[Onkl]

Hi guys

Is enchanting an item with bonus to intelligence for spellcasting purposes possible at all?

As my fellow forumites pointed out to me: ST, HT, DX is expensive to enchant, but it's possible... what about IQ?

Can you enchant IQ "always on" on an item? Where can I find the rules?

[Refplace]

Originally Posted by Onkl

Hi guys

Is enchanting an item with bonus to intelligence for spellcasting purposes possible at all?

As my fellow forumites pointed out to me: ST, HT, DX is expensive to enchant, but it's possible... what about IQ?

Can you enchant IQ "always on" on an item? Where can I find the rules?

Wisdom is sort of what your looking for. It is a mind Control spell so not in the same college as the others you listed. However it specifically does not raise IQ for spell casting purposes. So you would need to make a variation that did.
Another option is to make an item that grants a bonus to spell skill for either a specific spell or a category like a college.

[David Johnston2]

Originally Posted by Onkl

Hi guys

Is enchanting an item with bonus to intelligence for spellcasting purposes possible at all?
?

Not out of the book. That's the kind of spell that has a kind of perpetual motion potential that they steer clear of. But you know you could do it as a Gadget.

[cosmicfish]

Not sure about the mechanic, but I would consider limiting the final IQ to that of the caster. For example, if an IQ 16 enchanter created a ring with Wisdom +2 it would be useless to anyone with IQ 16+, raise anyone with IQ 14-15 to IQ 16, and would provide anyone with IQ 13+ with a straight +2 IQ bonus. You might want to boost that a little, to account for different ways of thinking and different pieces of knowledge, but I would disallow a normal magical device that allowed the enchanter to permanently raise his own spellcasting IQ.

[ULFGARD]

Originally Posted by cosmicfish

Not sure about the mechanic, but I would consider limiting the final IQ to that of the caster. For example, if an IQ 16 enchanter created a ring with Wisdom +2 it would be useless to anyone with IQ 16+, raise anyone with IQ 14-15 to IQ 16, and would provide anyone with IQ 13+ with a straight +2 IQ bonus. You might want to boost that a little, to account for different ways of thinking and different pieces of knowledge, but I would disallow a normal magical device that allowed the enchanter to permanently raise his own spellcasting IQ.

There are ways of making it less attractive as an item. I've had a game where characters got a +5 IQ ring (that did not add to spells, but even so). Basically it made the wearer hyper intelligent, but they then had trouble relating to people who were less than their original IQ+1. They'd use big words, would not explain "obvious" steps in plans, etc., effectively giving them an odious personal habit.

On the other hand, there does need to be something limiting the endless power-up aspect of this if you include the ability to affect spells as well as mundane skills, since it will quickly devolve into the genesis device of great archmages. I think the "gadget" limitation makes sense for something like this. In general, I'd limit it to artifact-type items. But then again, fun's the ONLY rule that ultimately matters, and if it'd be fun for you and your group, go for it! Just modify the Wisdom spell. It's already expensive...

[Refplace]

Originally Posted by ULFGARD

There are ways of making it less attractive as an item. I've had a game where characters got a +5 IQ ring (that did not add to spells, but even so). Basically it made the wearer hyper intelligent, but they then had trouble relating to people who were less than their original IQ+1. They'd use big words, would not explain "obvious" steps in plans, etc., effectively giving them an odious personal habit.

I like quirking such devices similar to skill and IQ chips.
Add in a few mental disads and it can really affect desirability while still allowing it and flavor for those willing to risk it.